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Mumsnet doesn't verify the qualifications of users. If you have medical concerns, please consult a healthcare professional.

Allergies and intolerances

Allergic to dogs and cats - are rabbits or other pets likely to cause a reaction too?

20 replies

frenchleave · 17/05/2007 21:41

My DD is DESPERATE for a pet, but her first choice (a dog) is out because I'm allergic to them. I wondered about rabbits, but am I likely to be allergic to them too? Any experiences?

And has anyone tried desensitisation? I'd love to be able to have a pet, DD is so animal mad and so upset that we haven't got any that it makes me feel almost guilty for being allergic! Does desensitisation work? I get asthma-type symptoms from animal hairs.

OP posts:

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fransmom · 17/05/2007 21:42

i don't know bab but maybe the best thing is to go to docs and get some skin prick tests done to find out.

Hilllary · 17/05/2007 21:43

I'm allergic to cats & birds but not dogs or rabbits.

PrincessPeaHead · 17/05/2007 21:44

I wouldn't try to desensitise yourself to animals, I know it really wouldn't work for me - but maybe think about getting a dog you won't be allergic to?

I'm allergic to dogs, cats, horses, guinea pigs etc. We have standard poodles. Poodles (all sizes) have wool, not fur, they don't shed, they don't have dander, and they are hyperallergenic. They haven't given me a moments bother, and I can feel my throat seizing up if I even walk into a house that once had a cat in it!

PrincessPeaHead · 17/05/2007 21:44

ha ha!
hypO allergenic

funnypeculiar · 17/05/2007 21:44

dh is allergic to cats & some dogs.
We had a house-rabbit before kids - he was snuffly for the first week or so (although never too bad) then fine after that...

ktmoomoo · 17/05/2007 21:49

im allergic to all cats dogs bidrs horses rabbits hamsters,, hay ,straw, cut grass cigarette smoke, most perfumes, pollen ,flowrs ,apart from that i ok lol

frenchleave · 17/05/2007 21:53

Sounds like I'll need to get checked first then Hillary & Fransmom.

PrincessPH - didn't realise poodles were hypoallergenic! Don't think DD would settle for one though, she wants a labrador or a retriever, which set me off in seconds

Funnypeculiar - interesting that your DH 'got over' his allergy.

Do tests tell you how allergic you are to things, or do you just get a yes/no?

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frenchleave · 17/05/2007 21:55

kt - cripes, you must get through a lot of tissues!

Actually I'm allergic to quite a lot of those things too it's just the other animals I need to find out about...

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duchesse · 17/05/2007 21:56

I know of children who are allergic to dogs and cats, but fine with guinea pigs for instance. One solution to find out, depending on how severely allergic you are (ie not if you are swell up and die in 30 seconds type allergic) might be to go round to friend's houses and pet their pets for half an hour or so, to find out. It would be sad to get a pet thinking you're fine, and then discover that you're not. Good luck though. Rabbits and guinea pigs are splendid pets. Plus you can house-train rabbits, so they be almost like having a cat around.

duchesse · 17/05/2007 21:58

Frenchleave- depending on how much of a budget you have, you might be able to get a labradoodle then, which are being bred specifically for allergic people who want a hypoallergenic dog that doesn't have ambitions to take over the world...

frenchleave · 17/05/2007 22:11

Labradoodle?! No, really?! What kind of budget are we talking?

Don't want guinea pigs - bad memories of being viciously bitten by one as a child (so I hope rabbits are friendlier). Will invite myself to rabbit-owning friends to see how I get on, as well as doing the tests.

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duchesse · 17/05/2007 22:12

whispers 'bout £700

ducks

duchesse · 17/05/2007 22:13

This might help.

Don't let anybody tell they're just mutts.

Them's designer mutts.

frenchleave · 17/05/2007 22:19

Eeek!

whispers I don't think so... but thanks for the info, they look lovely!

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pastalady · 17/05/2007 22:39

I'm not allergic to dogs but am allergic to cats. I bought a rat once and discovered I was allergic to it. So, no cats or rats for me! Had to return it to the garden centre the next day. It was rather embaressing.

Beauregard · 17/05/2007 22:41

Tortoises are ok if you are allergic.

pastalady · 17/05/2007 22:44

Oh and as for desensitisation. I lived with my MIL for about 6 months and she had it cat. My allergy did improve a fair bit but I wouldn't recommend it.

madamez · 17/05/2007 22:51

As someone who is allergic to dogs, cats, horses, hamsters, feckin gerbils, mice, rats and probably feckin cows as well I suggest a Tamagotchi.

Hulababy · 17/05/2007 22:54

DD is allergic to cat hair. We found out after trying to have a cat last year - she lasted 5 days befor ehaving to go back to the cat shelter. Luckily she was rehomed the same day.

DD now has two gerbils that live in her play room. She seems fine with these, possibly not allergic to them or possibly as much less handling involved and their hair cannot get out of the cage and is limited to playroom and cage area only.

DD is loving the repsonsibility aspect of feeding them each day and helping clean out at the weekend.

ktmoomoo · 18/05/2007 16:45

ive got koi carp in a pond outside and not a sneeze in site lol and yes frenchleaves i get through loads of tissues ive got shares in kleenex lol

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